Vending machine



Feb. 2. 1943. M. E. scHLoFFj 2,309,674

VENDING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 @j Je' .Maw

Feb. 2, 1943.A M'. E. scHLoFF V 2,309,674

VENDING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 2, 1943. M, E, scHLoFF l 2,309,574 vENbING MACHINE:

Filed .my 1s. 1941* 4 sums-sheet 4 Patented Feb. 2, 1943 STATES orties VENDING MACHINE Meyer E. Schlo, Chicago, Ill., assigner of onehaif to Henry J. Bobbe, Chicago, Ill.

6 Claims.

lThis invention relates in general to coin-controlled vending machines, and while it has more particular reference to improvements in merchandise issuing apparatus for such machines, it

will be apparent that certain features thereof have other and more general valuable application,

A principal object of the present invention is the provision of an improved lightweight rigid and strong base unit for supporting a rotatable multiple magazine turret and for also supporting and enclosing merchandise ejecting apparatus and coin-controlled apparatus operable to condition the ejecting apparatus for operation.

Another important object -cf this invention is the provision in combination with the merchandise ejecting mechanism of a novel latch device operable to preclude actuation of said ejecting mechanism but settable by a coin-controlled device to permit such actuation.

A further object of the'invention is the provision combination with an ejecting mechanism as aforesaid including a finger advanceable to eject merchandise, -of a checking device operable `to prevent retraction of the iinger `until `completion of a full ejeoting stroke, and a new latch device settable to premit advancement of 'said ringer and including means functioning to maintain the set condition of said latch device duri/'ng the initial part of said stroke.

The invention further contemplates an improved merchandise ejecting mechanism including .a reciprocal ejector carrying thereon a latch member displaceable into a non-eiective position to permit advancement of said ejector, and said member carrying a blocking member operable to assume an .abutting relation with a com- 'plemental part to maintain the latch member in its non-effective position duringy initial advancemen-t of the ejector but being inoperable to regain the abutting relation pursuant tcretraction of the ejector.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel mount for the rotary multiple magazine turret and including detent means for yieldingly resisting rotation of the turret from any of several positions in which respective magazines register with a discharge section of the machine.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved locking means for retaining the turret upon the base structure of the machine.

Numerous other objects-and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a machine embodying the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken through the machine substantially upon the line 2 2 .in Figure l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View taizen substantially diametrically through a multiple magazine turret constituting a part of the machine, the position of vthe view being indicated by the line 3-'3 in Figure v2 Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view ci an upper end portion of said multiple magazine turret, the view being taken upon the line 4 4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View looking downwardly into the base unit of the machine and illustrating certain of the working `parts contained therein, this View being taken as indicated by the lin'e`5-5 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of a ratchet and pawl vmechanism and taken upon the 'line 6--5 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken through the base `unit substantially upon the line 1-1 in Fig. 5 and illustrating in elevation an improved latch mechanism for releasably locking a merchandise-ejector member against operation;

Fig, 8 is a 'fragmentary View illustrating the latch mechanism of Fig. 7 in the unlatched position and also illust-rating a part of a coin-controlled actuator member in position for effecting such unlatching of the latch mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a view like Fig. l8 but illustrating the parts in a more advanced stage -of their operating cycle wherein the coin-controlled apparatus is 'withdrawn from the latch mechanism, leaving the same poised for permitting 4operation of the merchandise ejector;

Fig. l0 is a View like Fig. 7 but illustrating the parts at an earlier stage in their Voperating cycle, namely, the stage in which an article of merchandise is being ejected;

Fig. 11 is an elevational view partly in section and taken upon'the line H--l l .in Fig. 5forfurther illustrating the merchandise ejector member, a mount upon which it is reciproeally disposed and the aforesaid Alatching mechanism;

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view illustrating that part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1l 'and taken upon the line l2-l2 in that ligure;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary plan view looking upwardly at the line |3|3 in Fig. 11 and illustrating a part of ball-detent mechanism for yieldably resisting rotative displacement of the turret from any one of its selectable positions;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line |4|4 in Fig. 12 for illustrating the manner in which the ejector member and its oarriage are disposed slidably upon the mount therefor;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the lower end of one of the magazines of the turret; and

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken upon the line |6|6 of Fig. 1 and illustrating a coin receiving compartment together with a lockable closure member therefor.

For the purpose of illustrating my present invention I have shown on the drawings a machine in which it is embodied. A base unit for the machine comprises a cylindrical side wall 2|, and a bottom wall 22, Figs. rI and 10, which may have a peripheral flange 23 to facilitate the interfabrication of these parts. Preferably, the walls 2| and 22 are made of sheet metal to minimize weight and production cost.

A standard 24, shown plainly in Figs. 10 and 1l, has a base portion 25 secured to the bottom wall 22 by any conventional means such as bolts 26.; The bolts 26 may be sufficiently long to also serve as means for securing the machine upon a pedestal or the like, if desired. This standard 24 which supports a multiple magazine turret 21 to be described in more detail hereinafter) is braced against lateral movement, at a section spaced upwardly from the bottom wall 22, by rail members 28 and 29, Figs. 5 and 7, which are integral with an extension member 3| projecting inwardly of the base from a cover plate 32 for a sidewall opening 33 in the side wall 2|. The extension 3| is integral with the cover plate 32 as is plainly shown in Figs. 5 and 7. A discharge passage 34 for merchandise dispensed by the machine is formed between an inner wall 35 of the cover plate and a protruded wall 31; see Figs. '1 and 10. An inclined portion 31 of the extension 3| forms a feeding apron for the passage 34 and onto which ejected articles of merchandise drop for sliding into and through the passage 34 onto a delivery tray 33, which may be secured to the base side wall as by means of bolts 39 of which one is shown in Figs. '1 and l0. Bolts 4| in Figs. 1 and 5 are employed for securing the cover plate 32 in closing relation with the side wall opening 33. Machine screws 42 shown principally in dotted outline in Fig. 5 are inserted downwardly respectively through the spaced rail members 28 and 29 of the cover plate extension 3| and turned into threaded recesses therefor in the standard 24. Thus, it will be seen that the cover plate 32 with its extension 3| is enabled to brace the standard 24 and likewise the standard is adapted to support and brace the extension member 3| which carries certain part-s of the machine hereinafter described.

A boss 43 is formed integrally with the upper end of the standard 24 and is vertically bored and threaded at 44, as plainly shown in Fig. 12, for receiving the lower and threaded end 45 of a long rod or spindle 46 about which the turret 21 is adapted to rotate.

Said turret 21 is made up of a plurality of vertically disposed chambers or magazines 41, there being six of these magazines in the present structure. Each magazine comprises a generally channel-shaped sheet metal member providing opposed side walls 48 and an inner wall 49. The upper ends of the inner Walls 49 are welded or otherwise suitably secured to respective upwardly turned anges 5| of a hexagonal end plate 52, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. The lower end portions of the magazine inner walls 49 are similarly secured to downward turned flange 53 of a bottom plate 54; see Figs. '7 and 10. The outer ends of the side walls 48 are shaped to form channels 55 complementally with opposite vertical edges 56 of side panel members 51, also made of sheet metal and secured to flange portions 58 of the side walls 48 in some such manner as by spot welding. It will be seen, therefore, that the several merchandise magazines 41 are retained in a generally cylindrical assembly by the hexagonal upper and lower end plates 52 and 54 and by the side panel members 51. Slender windows of glass 59 are adapted to be slid downwardly into the sets of opposed channels 55, and when they are thus assembled with the turret, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, their lower ends rest upon the upper face of a ring 6| circumscribing a lower end portion of the turret and in turn resting upon the upper edges of sheet metal guard straps 62, Figs. 7 and 15, which bridge and are respectively carried upon the paired side walls 48 of each magazine. A second ring, 63, also circumscribes the lower portion of the turret and is mounted upon the lower face of the ring 6|, the ring 63 having a depending skirt or flange 64 serving as a guard and lending a finished appearance to the machine. As clearly shown in Fig. 15, each of the magazines 21 is provided with a bottom plate 65 with upwardly turned flanges 66 welded or otherwise secured to its associated side walls 48. The lowermost of merchandise articles 61 stacked in each magazine is adapted to rest upon this bottom plate 65. Sufficient space is provided between the lower edge of each strap member 62 and the outer edge of its associated bottom member 65 to permit the passage outwardly therebetween of a single merchandise article. Accidental displacement of an article outwardly between the members 62 and 65 is prevented by a leaf spring member G8 secured to and depending downwardly from each of the members 62.

The upper plate 52 of the turret 21 and the lower plate 54 thereof are provided with central axially alined openings, as that shown at 69 in Fig. 3 in the plate 52, and to the under side of the bottom plate 54 there is secured a disc member 1| constituting part of a detent device generally designated 12, the disc member 1| also having an opening 13, arranged co-axially with the end plate openings as 69. Said openings as 69 receive and have secured therein a tubular member 14 and this tubular member and the opening 13 in the disc 1| receive respective sections of the upright spindle 46 that is disposed in threaded relation with the recess 44 in the boss 43 as aforesaid (see Fig. 12), when the turret is slid downwardly over the spindle into assembly with the machine. Subsequent to this assembly of the turret with the machine, it is locked inplace by a key member 15 having opposed resilient legs 16 contractable into a grove 11 circumscribing an upper end section of the spindle 46.

The detent device 12 comprises, in addition to the disc 1|, Figs. 10, 12, and 13, a second disc or plate 10 upon the boss 43. This plate 10 has a central opening for receiving the base of the spindle 46 and an 'eccentrically placed opening 18 which registers with a recess 19 in the boss 43 that serves as a spring chamber for a helical spring 8|. The spring 8| comprises part of a sub-assembly also including a steel ball 82 and a sleeve 83 press-fitted into the recess 19 and having a slightly inwardly turned flange 84 about its upper end to permit limited projection of the ball 82 from such end under the influence ofthe spring 8| when the parts are assembled, as illustrated in Fig. 12.

Six recesses 85 spaced equiangularly about the under face of the plate 1| pertain to the six magazines 4l of the turret 21 and arerespectively alined therewith circumferentially of the turret. These recesses 85 are adapted to receive the pro truding part of the ball 82 as they are successively carried into registry therewith'during rotation of the turret, wherefor the spring pressed ball will yieldingly resist rotation of the turret from these registering positions. The recess lS and the ball 62 are disposed upon the forward side of the boss 53 so that upon registry of each recess B5 withthe ball 82, the magazine lil corresponding to said recess 85 will register with the feeding apron 31 and be yieldingly arrested inthat position. In the present structure, the turret is supported by the plate '1| fixed upon the turret bottom plate eli and said plate 'H is journaled upon a shoulder 85 of the spindle 35, as illustrated in Fig. l2. A plurality of knobs 81 are secured to certain of the turret panel members 5l in a position to be conveniently grasped by an operator of the machine to facilitate rotation of the turret for placing the magazine el containing the merchandise of his selection in registry with the discharge section cf the machine comprising the discharge opening 3i'. and the feeding apron 3l therefor.

Ordinarily the turret 2l will remain permanently assembled with the machine, the locking key member 'i5 serving to prevent disassociation of the turret from the base portion of the machine by those without authority. Access to the upper ends of the merchandise magazines l is had by removing a cover member 88 having a circumferential flange Aor skirt 8g projecting h marginally downwardly over an upper portion of the turret when said cover member is in place. A key operated locking device generally desighated ti is secured to the cover member S8 at a central opening @2 and this locking device carries upon its inner end an elongated locking bar 93 held non-rotatively to a shaft Sl of the locking device by a screw .This bar 93 is adapted to be inserted through a rectangular opening 96 in the bridge @l of an inverted U-shaped locking bracket 98 which is secured to the turret end plate 52. Outwardly turned feet portions 99, Fig. 2, may be provided upon the lower ends of the vertical legs itil of the bracket 93 to facilitate attachment thereof to the end plate 52 by some such means as welding or bolts. The locking bar 93 is insertable through the locking bracket opening 86 when this bar is turned with its principal axis in parallelism with the principal axis of said opening Q5 and subsequent to such insertion the locking device 2li is manipulata'ble by a key (not shown) for rotating the stem 9A and the locking 'bar 13 ninety degrees for placing the bar and the opening 95 in the relation illustrated in Fig. 2 for preventing withdrawal of the bar through the opening and therefore preventing removal of the cover member S5. Rotation of the cover member 8S and consequent rotation of 75 the lock stem 94 and the locking bar to place the latter with its principal axis in parallelism with the principal axis of the opening 96 so that the cover plate could be removed, is prevented by a stud |52, Figs. 2 and 3, having a base portion |63 suitably anchored to the under side of the cover member 88 and which projects downwardly between the opposed walls t8 of adjacent magazines 41.

When the turret 2l is arranged with one of the magazines :il yat the discharge section of the machine, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 10,` and in which position the turret is yieldingly maintained by the detent device l2, the lowermost article 6l in such magazine is ejectable forwardly through the space between the lower edge of the guard strap 62 of this magazine and the forward edge upon the botten-plate 65 thereof. the merchandise article is-eifected by ejector apparatus comprising a finger-like member |04, shown plainly in Figs. 5, '7, l0, ll and 12.

Said ejector apparatus comprises a carriage in the form of a plate m5 with which the finger |64 is integral and this carriage is reciprocally mounted upon the rail members 28 and 29 for fore and aft movement. Normally, the carriage is maintained in its retracted or back-most reciprocal limit by a contraction spring |66, having opposite of its ends connected respectively with an apertured ear |37 depending from the under forward side of the standard boss |33 and with an apertured section |88 in the forepart of the carriage; see Fig. 12.` Forward or ejecting movement of the carriage |05 and its ejector finger Hil is effected by a manually operable pull rod Hifi suitably anchored in a boss upon the carriage and projecting slidably through an opening H2 in the cover plate 32. A knob 3 is provided upon the outer end of the pull rod |69 to facilitate engagement, as by the fingers of an operator, and when the carriage is pulled forwardly for ejecting an article of merchandise the spring H35 is distended and thus energized for returning the carriage to its back-most reciprocal limit when the knob .H3 is released.Y

Forward or ejecting movement of the carriage |5 by unauthorized persons is prevented by latch mechanism comprising a. latch member ||4 pivoted upon the shank of a headed member I5 anchored to the carriage as by means of screw threads. The pivoted member H4 is provided in its lower edge with a notch which is adapted to register with and hook overa retaining member in the form of a locking stud which may be formed integrally `with the standard 24, as illustrated in Fig. 5. A spring ||8 having its upper end connected with the pivoted latch member H4. at an aperture ||9 and its lower end secured by means of a screw |2| to the lower end of a vertical bar |22 secured to the carriage m5 by a screw |23, constantly urges said latch member Ilai to pivot clockwise, as viewed in Fig. '7, whereby upon return of the carriage into its retracted or back-most position the notch HB will be caused to receive the stud andv Ejection ofv with the base cover plate 32. This coin-controlled apparatus includes a slide bar |26 which may be pressed manually inwardly subsequent to the deposit of a coin |21 within a recess |28 therefor. Normally the slide bar |26 is maintained. in the retracted position illustrated in Fig. by means of a contraction spring |29 of which One end is connected with the bar |26 by means of a screw |3|, and of which the opposite end is connected by screw |32 with parts fixed with respect to the cover plate 32. A bracket |53, Fig. 5 and Figs. '1 to4 101 inclusive, and provided with an inclined cam portion or member |34, depends from, the under side of the slide bar at its inner end to which it is secured by screws |35. Said cam member |34 is alined with a cam follower in the form of a roller |36 pivoted upon the shank of a headed member |31 anchored in the back end of the latch bar H4. Therefore, when the slide bar |26 of the coin-controlled apparatus is pressed inwardly, the cam member |34 connected therewith will be moved backwardly or to the right, as viewed in Fig. 10, into engagement with the roller |36, whereupon this roller will be caused to move upwardly along the cam member |34 into the position illustrated in Fig. 8. Backward movement of the slide har |26 is limited to the position shown in Fig. 8 by a small stop bracket |38 secured to the locking bar H4 and of which a flange |39 abuts with an edge |4| of a notch in the back end of said slide bar; see Figs. 5 and 8. Upon this counter-clockwise pivotal movement of the locking bar |4, a blocking member |42 pivotally mounted upon the shank ci a screw |43 attached to the bar HllV will be permitted to drop by the force of gravity from the pivotal position shown in Fig. '1 to the pivotal position shown in Fig. 8, so that upon subsequent retraction forwardly of the coin-con trolled slide bar |26 and the consequent removal of the cam member |34 from engagement with the roller and clockwise movement of the locking bar ||4 under the influence of the spring H8, the said blocking member lli-2 will assume the position illustrated in Fig. 9 with its lower end resting upon the upper generally horizontal face of the stud H1. Thus the blocking member serves to preclude relatching of the latch bar H4 and permits forward ejecting movement of the carriage |55 and its finger |54 while being advanced with said carriage incidental to sliding forwardly over the upper face of said stud H1.

The forward ejecting movement of the carriage |65 is ample to displace the blocking member |42V into some such position as illustrated in Fig. l0, where it is carried out of engagement with the stud ||1 to allow the latch bar ||4 to drop downwardly against said stud under the influence of the spring H8. FollowingY this forward ejeoting movement of the carriage |65 and its ejector iinger |04, the pull rod |69 will be released and said carriage will be returned to its rear reciprocal limit by the spring |66. During this return movement of the carriage |65 and the parts attached thereto, the blocking member |62 will abut against the forward edge of the stud ||1 which will avert the blocking effect thereof by pivoting it clockwise into the position shown in Fig. 7, so that the latching bar i4. can assume the latching position, also shown in Fig. '1. The apparatus will now be locked as. aforesaid to prevent an ejecting operation until a coin is deposited in the recess |23 to enable the slide bar of the coin-controlled apparatus |24 to be pushed inwardly for resetting' the latch mechanism. into the position shown in Fig. 9.

I' provide upon this machine a checking device to prevent retraction of the ejector carriage |05. and tripping. of the blocking member |42. to permit relatching of the locking bar |4 until; a full ejecting stroke has been executed. This checking device is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6, although Figs. 5, 11, and 14 should also be examined to ascertain the exact location of this device. The device comprises a plate |44 secured to the left side of the standard` 24', as viewed; in Figs. 5 and 1l, screws |45 being used to eiectv the attachment; A series of ratchet teeth |46 upon the upper edge of the plate |44 are adapted to cooperate with the pointed end of pawl |41 pivotally mounted upon theshank of a screw |43` which is anchored in a side: of the ejector. carriage |65. A. small bracket |49 is also attached to the carriage |05 and supports the upper end of a spring |5| of which the lower end is connected to the upper end of the pawl |41.

In Fig. 6 the carriage |65 is shown in its back or retracted position, wherein the pawl |41 is disposed backwardly of theratchet teeth |46. When the carriage is pullediorwardly pursuant to an eiecting operation, the point of the pawl member |41- will be caused to successively engage the teeth |46 with a ratcheting action while occupying a zone displaced clockwise about the screw mountingY |48 from the position shown in Fig. 6, an-dwhile distending the spring |54. Should the pull rcdV |69 be released while the cam |41 is engaged with the plate |44 at a point between any of the teeth |65', the spring |66 will be unable to function for returning the carnage |65 to the staring'or retracted positionsince the distance between the point of thepawl and its pivotal axis in the screw |46 is greater than the perpendicular or vertical distance between such axis and any of the groove-s between the teeth |46. The carriage |65 cannot be raised to enable the pawl |41 to slip backwardiy over the teeth |46 under the just described conditions since the carriage has longitudinal grooves as |49, Fig. i4, which receive the sli-de rail members 28 and 29. Therefore, should an operator, after having deposited a coin in the machine and cocked the latching bar |4 as illustrated in Fig. 9 and after having advanced the carriage |65 part way by pulling upon the rod 59, accidentally lose his hold upon the knob ||3, the carriage would be withheld by the checking device from returning to the locked position shown in Fig. l0. Incident, however, to advancing the carriage ''through a full ejecting stroke, the pawl 41 will be run completely through the row of ratchet teeth |45, whereupon said pawl will be pivoted counter-clockwise by the spring |54 into the` position shown in Fig. 6, thus conditioning it for ratcheting freely over the teeth |46 upon return. of the carriage to the starting position.

In the operation of the machine, one approachingY it for service will first select the variety of merchandise desired by viewing it through its respectively associated window 59 and by grasping one of the turret knobs 81 for rotating the turret to place this window at the front of the machine and consequently the associated magazine 41`in registry with the discharge section of the machine. Thereupon a coin of the required denomination will be deposited in the recess |28 of the coin-controlled device |24 to enable the customer to press the slide bar |26 inwardly. At this time the parts of the machine will be positioned as llustrated in Fig. '7, but as the slide bar |26 is pressed inwardly the cam member |34 carried by this slide bar will engage the roller |36 for causing such roller to be displaced upwardly in the manner shown in Fig. 8 for pivoting the latch bar I |13 counter-clockwise and permitting the blocking member |42 to drop into the vertical position, also shown in Fig. 8. After having pushed the slide bar |26 inwardly to the limit, determined by engagement of the part Illl of this bar with the flange of the bracket |38 upon the latching bar I I4, the customer or operator will release the slide bar |2, which then withdraws forwardly under the influence of the spring |29 from the roller |36 to permit the latch bar I4 to drop into the position shown in Fig. 9 where it is maintained out of latching relation with the stud I by the blocking member |42.

Thereafter the customer will grasp the operating knob I3 for pulling the rod |39 and the carriage with its ejecting finger |04 forwardly incident to projecting said finger against the inner en-d of the merchandise article atthe bottom of the magasine stationed in registry with the discharge section of the machine. During advancement of the carriage, the finger |34 will enter the bottom portion of the registered magazine incident to pushing the article of merchandise 6l forwardly, as shown in Fig. 10, and eventually causing such merchandise article to drop onto the feeding apron 3l from which it slides into the discharge passage 3d and ultimately issues from the machine as it lands in the tray 33 where it is accessible to the customer. Pursuant to this advancement of the ejector carriage the checking Idevice consisting of the ratchet plate |44 and the pawl |l are conditioned as aforesaid to operate if necessary for preventing return of the carriage until the latter has been advanced sufficiently far for ejecting the merchandise article. After the merchandise yarticle appears upon the tray 38, the operator will release the knob ||3 to permit the spring |66 to return the carriage |I.`5 and the parts carried thereby to the starting position, shown in Fig. 7, and incident to this retracting movement of the carriage the blocking member iliZ will engage the front side of the boss for pivoting said blocking member clockwise from the position shown in Fig. l0 to the position shown in Fig. 7, thus preventing this blocking member from assuming the position of Fig. 9 and permitting the latching bar I I4 to place its notch I I6 in latching relation with the stud I1.

Coins deposited in the coin-controlled apparatus are discharged thereby into a base compartment having a vertical side wall and a bottom wall consisting of la plate-like member |56 curved upwardly from a point adjacently to its back edge |57; see Figs. 5 and 16. An access opening |58 (provided in the base side wall 2|) for this compartment is closable by a removable plate |59, Figs. 1 and 16. One vertical edge of the closure plate |53 carries a locking strip II engageable with an inner marginal portion of the wall 2| about the opening |58 and thus oooperable with a key-actuated locking device |62 and a flanged member |63 for holding said closure plate in closing position. Removal of the closure plate outwardly of the machine base to provide access to the coin receiving compartment is possible when the device |52 is unlocked to carry an arm |313 thereof out of registry with said flanged member |63.

Features of particular advantage in the presentent machine are its unique simplicity in structural design and its adaptability for ease in assembly and disassembly for repair or other servicmg. base wall 22 the ratchet plate |54 may be assembled with this standard. Likewise, the various parts attached to and supported upon the cover plate extension 3| may be associated therewith, while complete access is had thereto, to form a sub-structure insertable as a unit through the side wall opening 33, concurrently with placing the cover plate 32 in closing relation with said side wall opening. Normally the pull rod Iii and the coin-controlled apparatus I 24, will also be mounted in the cover plate 32 beforethe latter is disposed upon the base side wall. 1t will be seen, therefore, that in servicing .the machine substantially the entire group of working partsfare removable with the cover plate, subsequent to unhooking the spring m6 and to remov- Y ing the screws 42, Fig. 5, for greatly improving accessibility- It is thought that the invention andk many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be appa-rent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

l. In a vending machine having a hollow base unit having a side wall opening, a superposed compartment for articles to be dispensed by the machine, and a standard mounted upright in said base unit to provide support for said compartment; a unitary sub-structure comprising a cover plate for said side wall opening and having an article discharge passage communicating with the interior of said base unit through said side wall opening when the cover plate is in closing relation with said opening, and extension means upon the inner side of said plate for connection with said standard to brace the same, a portion of said extension means being in the form of a feeding apron sloping downwardly communicatively with said passage.

2. In a vending machine having a hollow base unit having a side wall opening, a superposed compartment for articles to be dispensed by the machine, and a standard mounted upright in said base unit to provide support for said compartment; a unitary sub-structure comprising a cover plate for said side wall opening and having an article discharge passage communicating with the interior of said base unit through said side wall openingV when the cover plate is in closing relation with said opening, article ejector support means upon the inner side of said plate, said support means being connectible with said standard for bracing both said support means and said standard whenthe cover member is in closing relation.

3. In a vending machine having ya hollow base unit having a side wall opening, a superposed compartment for articles to be dispensed bythe machine, and a standard mounted upright in said base unit to provide support for said compartment; a unitary sub-structure comprising a cover plate for said side wall opening and having an article discharge passage communicating with therinterior of said base unit through said side wall opening when the cover plate is in closing relation with said opening, article ejector sup- Prior to attaching the standard 24 to the port m'eans upon lthe inner side of said cover plate and projecting inwardlyof the base unit for connection with the standard for mutual bracing of said standard and said support means when the cover member is in closing relation with said opening, article ejecting means mounted lupon said support means for displacement toward the cover plate to execute an article ejection stroke, and an actuator member connected with said ejecting'means and projecting outwardly through said cover plate for manipulation to effect such displacement of the ejecting means.

4. In a vending machine having a hollow base unit having a side Wall opening, a superposed compartment for articles to be dispensed by the machine, and a standard mounted upright in said base unit to provide support for said compartment; a unitary sub-structure comprising a cover plate for said side wall opening and having -an article discharge passage communicating with the interior of said base unit through said side Wall opening when the cover plate is in closing relation with said opening, feeding apron means for said discharge passage and carriage rail means both upon the inner side of said cover plate, said carriage rail means being connectible with said standard as a brace therefor when the cover plate is in closing relation with said opening, article ejecting means reciproca-lly mounted upon said rail means, means yieldably urging said article ejecting means into one limit of its reciprocal eld, and an actuator member operably associated with said 'ejecting means and projecting outwardly through said cover plate for manipulation to `displace the article ejecting means toward the other limit of its reciprocal iield.

5. In a vending machine having a hollow base unit having a side Wall opening, a superposed compartment for articles to be dispensed by the machine, and a standard mounted upright in said base unit to provide support for said compartment; a unitary sub-structure comprising a cover plate for said side wall opening and having an article discharge passage communicating with the interior of said base unit through said side wall opening when the cover plate is in closing relation with said opening, carriage rail means upon the inner side of said cover plate connectible with said standard for bracing such rail means and said standard when the cover member is in the aforesaid closing relation, article ejecting means reciprocally mounted upon said rail means, means yieldably urging said article ejecting means into -one limit of its reciprocal eld, an actuator member operably associated with `said ejecting means for manipulation to displace the same toward its opposite reciprocal limit and eX- tending outwardly through the cover plate for accessibility, latch means operable to retain said ejecting means at the ono reciprocal limit, and coin-controlled means mounted on said cover plate and operable to unlatch said latch means to free the ejecting means for displacement by said actuator member.

6. In a vending machine of the type having a multi-magazine turret rotatable to place selected of its magazines in registry with a discharge portion of the machine; the combination of a hollow base unit including bottom and side Walls of sheet material the side wall being provided with an opening at said discharge portion, a standard mounted upright in said base unit on said bottom wall, turret bearing means on said standard for the support of said turret, and a unitary substructure comprising a cover plate :for said side wall opening having a discharge passage ccmmunicating with the side wall opening, a feeding apron for said passage projecting therefrom upwardly and inwardly of said base unit, and extension means on said apron connected with said standard at a portion spaced upwardly from the base unit bottom wall for the mutual bracing of said standard and of said unitary sub-structure.

MEYER E. SCHLOFF 

